Levitation tricks have been documented from the early 1900s, so how do they do it? Scholars learn about the force of magnetism in an attractive resource. They watch videos and design experiments to understand the strength and...

Attracted class members to an activity-packed journey through the science behind the invisible forces at work all around us. From jump rope generators to junkyard wars, there's never a dull moment when eighth grade physics scholars...

Find the right path to learn about solar energy. Scholars set up and use Solar Pathfinders to take measurements related to solar insolation at a particular site. Based on the data, they estimate the solar potential in kWh/m^2/day of a...

What better way to understand how an object works than to make one! Learners take what they learned in the previous lessons and construct their own compasses. Using a needle, water, and styrofoam, they build and test compasses and verify...

Attraction and repulsive forces might seem mysterious to young learners. Have your classes experiment with these forces in the second installment of a 14-part unit on magnetism and electricity. Individuals test different objects in the...

Are your young physicists static-savvy? Test their skills using an engaging interactive from the Static Electricity series! Learners evaluate scenarios to determine how charges move between conductors and insulators, then identify...

Why do some magnets attract while others repel? Scholars use clearly labeled permanent magnets to explore the attractive question. They compare the behavior of like versus opposite poles to find the answer.

Sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections ... why is the sun so stirred up? Scholars watch animations of the interaction between moving plasma and magnetic fields and discuss the sun's behavior. The activity, part of NOVA's sun...

Oxygen has many important properties ... such as sustaining most living things. But magnetism? Discover the behavior of oxygen in its chilly liquid form using a video from a larger playlist on physics. Watch as liquid oxygen is poured on...

Every knows that opposites attract! Here's a presentation that uses this background knowledge to explain magnetic fields and forces. The resource also explains the shape of magnetic fields and how to determine the direction of forces.

The magnets on a refrigerator are stronger than Earth's magnetic force. Watch a video that describes the fundamental force of magnetism. It relates magnetism to electricity and connects this to almost every type of electricity generator...

The compass was first used in 206 B.C., but we didn't discover magnetic poles until 1263 A.D. Presentation begins with the history of magnetism before continuing on to magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnets, currents,...

Class members use a compass and several points to map out the magnetic field of a magnet. Pairs trace the magnetic field lines produced by a permanent magnet by positioning the compass in numerous spots around the magnet to view the...

Teach your class about magnets and electromagnets with a reading passage. After reading the passage, learners respond to five related questions.

Travel through space as you learn about the galaxy, solar system, planets, and much more. An extensive resource for studying astronomy in upper-elementary and middle school classrooms.

Clever! Earth science learners construct a model of a planet containing a magnetic core. The planet, Terrabagga, is made out of a paper grocery bag, magnets, a dead D battery, and rubber bands. Pictures of each step of the construction...

What a great way to have your second graders explore magnetism! Learners conduct an experiment in which they identify objects attracted to magnets. Then, they create a presentation in which they display objects involving magnets.

Introduce your class to magnetic fields with an activity that demonstrates that a compass is affected by the magnetic field of the earth, unless a closer, stronger magnetic field is present. Pupils can use this fact in the associated...

The biggest magnet in the world is at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and can reach 100 tesla. By comparison, magnets that lift cars are about two tesla. The 11th presentation in this series covers magnetism, focusing on...

Physical or earth science pupils prepare a magnetometer by inducing magnetism into a pair of straight pins. As the pins hang from a thread, they can be used to detect the magnetic field or poles of a magnet. They could also be used as a...

If you are looking for a concise set of slides dealing with the basics of magnetism, look no further. Each slide defines a different magnetism concept: poles, fields, atoms, currents, electromagnets, motors, and generators. The only...

Attract your class to magnetism with this straightforward presentation. Using bullet points and simple phrases, viewers are taught the basics of magnetism. There are no pictures or diagrams to help explain, so you might want to add a few...